Hell's Angel
by draconia22
Summary: Tori is an FBI angent with a past that she has been hidding from for years. And now she has to face that past. On vacation she goes to see her old friend Stephanie Plum, only to come into contact with more friends then she thought she would.ABANDONED SOry
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine

Chapter 1

I couldn't believe it. I was finally back home.

I took a deep breath of the smoggy city air as I stepped out of the airport and chuckled under my breath as I faintly heard a few visitors from other states and countries coughing as they tasted the air for the first time.

I made a beeline straight for the nearest pay phone and flipped open the directory, there were a few people that I wanted to look up before I checked in to my hotel, I easily found the numbers and addresses I wanted and jotted them down in a small note book that was always on me.

I pulled out my cell and punched in the first person I wanted to see as I waved down a cab.

"Hello?" A tired a weary woman answered the phone.

"Steph? Is that you?" I asked a little surprised at how tired and miserable she sounded. She sounded nothing like she used to in collage but then again it had been ten years, since I had seen her, I had kept in close contact with her over the phone up until five years ago before I had moved and lost all my address books and then my sister had gotten in to trouble and I had dropped everything to go and help her.

"Yeah, who's this?" She asked sounding confused.

"Don't tell me you forgot your old pal Tori from collage?" I pouted as a cab finally stopped and the boot popped open. I easily dumped my two suit cases in the boot before climbing in.

"Ohmigod TORI!" She squealed in delight. "How have you been?"

"Good" I gestured for the cabbie to be patient for a moment. "Say you up for a visit?"

"You're home?" She exclaimed.

"Yeah I just flew in and I thought I drop in on you before I checked in to my hotel." I replied with chuckle.

"Sure thing, apartment 215 on the corner of St James and Dunworth" She gave me the address which I relayed to the cabbie. "You should get here in about twenty minutes if you are coming from the airport."

"You got some goodies in that apartment of yours?" I asked with a laugh. "We have five years to catch up on, hon."

"I'll run down to the seven eleven and grab some things." She promised.

"Make sure you grab some beer if you have enough cash on you" I requested digging through my bag as my second cell went off, it was my work phone that hadn't rung in three weeks. "Hey I got another call coming in, I'll see you soon."

"Later." She said before hanging up.

I flipped open my other phone, but didn't say anything. I recognised the number and really didn't want to talk to the person on the other end but knew they would only keep ringing until I did answer.

"Why didn't you tell me you were taking a leave of absence?" An annoyed male voice snapped out. I sighed internally but didn't say anything; I wasn't in the mood to have a fight over the phone. "Real Mature Tori, the silent treatment." He sighed tiredly. "I'm sorry I snapped, boss put me with a rookie after he told me you were on leave." I grimaced. Rookies were the worst to be partnered with; they were a pain in the arse and never knew when to keep the yaps shut. "Can you at least tell me how long you are going to torture me for?" He pleaded; obviously the boss didn't tell him.

"Indefinite." I said finally with a small sigh.

"In other words you don't know if you are going to come back." He groaned. "Look I know that you had to go and try and sort out your life and everything." His voice turned serious as well as a little worried. "I know the last two years have been rough on you and you needed to get away but couldn't you have warned me?"

"It was last minute." I said softly, sounding slight apologetic. I looked out the window as the car came to a stop outside an apartment building that looked like it had seen better days and paid the cabbie and got out hauling my suitcases out and lent against the wall. "I'm sorry Andy, I just suddenly realised that I couldn't put it off any more."

"I know." He sighed. "Look just remember that I'm here alright, I'm always ready to listen."

"Thanks, Andy."

"Take care of yourself Nightingale."

"You too, later." I hung up and dropped the phone back into my handbag and carried my suitcases to the elevator and hit 2. I glanced at the doors as I went passed before setting the suitcases down and knocking on the right door. I frowned as I could faintly hear Steph arguing with some one and raised an eyebrow at her as she opened the door and gave me a grin before rolling her eyes and gesturing for me to come in as she continued to listen to who ever was on the other end of the phone. I dragged my suitcases in the door and closed it behind me making sure that it was locked before looking around the apartment. Either Steph had gotten a little worse with her living habits or she had recently had a break in.

"Look Joe I can't do this right now" She broke through the tirade. "I have a visitor that I haven't seen in…No it's not, it's an old friend from collage…" Her eyes narrowed at what ever comment he had made and I saw her anger flash through her bright blue eyes. "Fine fuck you too." She hung up the phone and tossed it on to the couch with a frustrated growl before turning to me. "Tori." Her face lit up again and I returned the hug. "It's been four years." She commented as she pulled two beers out of the freezer and we plonked down on the couch.

"I know, I'm sorry about just dropping off the face of the planet like that, but my sister got into some trouble and I had to help her out." I apologised. "It took me nearly a year to fix it but in the end it came to nothing." I sighed sadly, twisted off the lid and gulped down a few mouthfuls. "She had an abusive husband and decided that she was better off without him and called me for help. I helped her to get a divorce and restraining order and moved her so he wouldn't be able to find her….or so I thought." I shook my head.

"He killed her?" Steph asked quietly.

"Yeah and the unborn kid she was carrying." I nodded faintly. "I've had the worst five years of my life really…" I paused for a moment. "Do you mind listening?"

"Not at all." She shook her head sipping at her own beer. "Then I'll tell you what's been going on with me, I promise it will make you laugh."

"Deal" I chuckled. I wasn't all that surprised that we had slipped back into the easy friendship that we'd had back in high school and collage, it was actually rather nice and what I was hoping for. "After I had the son of bitch locked away for murder one, I took a week off work and drop in to see my folks in Miami. They moved there just after I graduated." I explained slowly leaning back in the seat, fiddling with the cap off the beer. "Ma had been sick for awhile but she always insisted that she was fine. The hardest thing I had to do was tell them what happened to Anna and how no matter what I'd tried she had still gotten killed. I was sure that they'd both hate me, but they did everything they could to reassure me that I'd done everything I could." I took a deep breath, keeping myself calm. "I'd gotten married right out of collage like you know I came home and found him shagging his stupid blonde secretary." I shook my head.

"Was it on the dinning room table?" Steph asked.

"Coffee table." I corrected her. "I walked in and walked out again, we had a very loud and public divorce in Washington."

"Sounds like my own divorce to Dickie." Steph chuckled slightly. "He was doing Joyce on the dinning room table not even a year after the wedding."

"Yeah well life went slightly shitter after that. Pa called me eight month later as I was just getting my life back together and told me that Ma had died that morning, she'd had cancer but hadn't wanted anyone to know. I told him I'd fly over and help with the funeral but he said not to, that she was getting cremated and her ashes thrown into the sea just like she had always wanted." I took a long swig. "I protested but he told me firmly that I couldn't get time off work, which was true. Three weeks later I got another call from the hospital say my Pa passed away in his sleep in the nursing home he had checked himself into. They had already cremated him and wanted to know where to send his ashes." I blinked away a few tears and thanked her as she passed me a few tissues. "I flew out that night and picked him up and took him to the same place Ma had been scattered. I stood there on the beach and realised I was the last one of my immediate family. I had lost all of them with in a year. I only had an Aunt and Uncle that I hadn't seen since I was ten years old and few dozen cousins that I had only met a few times left. And I didn't even know where they were, to let them know that Ma had died." I blew my nose and took a long hard pull of my beer until it was more then half empty. "I threw myself back into work but the cases we were getting really weren't going any where." I saw her raise an eyebrow at the word cases. "I thought I told you I work for the FBI now." I blinked in surprise as she shook her head. "I have been since I left collage and went to the academy. Been with them for ten years, not including training. We had four cases in the three years and each cases has left me standing in a graveyard burying friends, it was almost as if God hated me." I let out a bitter chuckle and gulped down the rest of my beer. "For the last three months my boss has been urging me to take some leave, pull myself together, think about my options and only come back when I was good and ready. I've got nearly two years of paid leave stock piled, so I decide two days ago to take them. I called my boss in the middle of the night and told him that I was going, I booked a ticket packed my bag and here I am." I smiled faintly at her.

"You're right that was pretty bad." She lent over and gave me a comforting hug. "Let's see if I can make you laugh." She added as she got up and grabbed me another beer and carried over a tub of Ben and Jerry's Ice cream and handed me a spoon. "I told you about Dickie, well after I got laid off work I needed money so I blackmailed my cousin Vinnie into giving me a job at the Bonds Bail office."

"I've seen some of the clippings in the paper." I chuckled. "The funeral home, Remiraze, twice as I recall, and the Slayer thing last year."

"The only reason I survived is because the best body god called Ranger took me under his wing and he is always picking me up and dusting me off after every disaster." She grinned at me. "He has the best body, perfectly toned and build and the colour of Mocha latte and he used Bulgari shower gel that smells better then fresh cooked donuts."

"Must be good." I burst out laughing.

"Just the way he looks is enough to make woman have hot flushes and some times he gives me these looks that make me want to jump his bones…"

"I'm sensing there is a but in there…" I prompted as she paused.

"Some times he scares the hell out of me. I've known him for three year nearly four and I know hardly anything about him personally. It doesn't help that I'm some times involved with Joe." She sighed.

"Joe? As in Joe Morelli?" I asked my eyes widening.

"Yeah he doesn't like my job, he doesn't like Ranger" She sighed. "I give him ulcers."

"Oh Steph" I burst out laughing as I cracked the top off my new beer. "But seriously, can you honestly stay with a guy who won't let you fly?" I asked her quietly. "I heard oh so many levels of unhappiness when you said he doesn't like your job. I can hear it in your voice that you enjoy it, well beside the stalkers you seem to pick up at any rate."

"I do love my job, mainly because I can be me, I feel free to do what ever I want and I have gotten better at my job over the last year thanks to Ranger." She nodded and smiled happily.

"Trust me on this one Steph you do not need some one in your life who will not support you in what you want to do and what makes you happy." I told her softly and studied her. "I remember how happy you were in collage and all the support you had from your family and friends…and I know how demanding Burge life can be but there is only so much that you can take. You have to know when to put your foot down." I watched her as she finished off her beer and nodded slowly at what I had said and we both dug into the cookie dough ice cream.

I saw a resigned look cross over her face as we heard her lock tumble open and I pulled my 9mm glock from under my leather jacket and clicked the safety off as a lithe well toned golden skinned Italian man dressed in dark blue jeans and t-shirt stepped in through the door looking pissed as hell but looked very surprised to see my gun pointing at him. He was tall, dark haired, dark eyed, scar through his eyebrow and was very handsome and he knew it.

"Damn it Joe you gave me a heart attack." Steph snapped at him but didn't gesture for me to put my gun away.

"I hope for your sake you have a licence for that gun." Joe commented neutrally at me.

"Yes I do." I nodded. "And to carry concealed." I looked him up and down and didn't hide that I was going so. "Nice to see you all grown up Joseph." I smiled slightly as he frowned. "Tori Grenzlo, I went to high school and collage with Steph."

"Been awhile since you were last seen in town." He replied looking a little more surprised. "Where did you get the licence?"

"I'm FBI" I shrugged, still aiming my gun at him.

"What do you want Joe?" Steph asked with a sigh.

"You hung up on me." He said angrily.

"I had a visitor." She nodded to me. "We were catching up…You gave up all rights to know what was going on in my life when you called us off Joe, remember? You can't handle me being able to stand on my own two feet."

"I can't handle getting calls about you every time you blow something up." He growled back.

I shifted a little uncomfortable stuck in the middle as they glared at each other.

"Get out Joe, you can't handle me fine then stay the hell out of my life." She yelled back. "It's what you do best after all." She said a little quieter.

"Steph…" He looked a little shocked at her outburst.

"You've done nothing but confuse me, and denied me everything that I ever wanted to do, Joe. You say you love me but you won't support me in my life choice." She studied him while waiting for a reply.

I watched as he looked down at his feet for a few minutes.

"I just wanted to protect you." He finally replied quietly still looking at his feet.

"You can't protect me from life, Joe. I know the dangers of the life I've chosen, I've gotten the training I need to help with that now, what I needed was support and you never gave it to me. Maybe it is better if we did stay away from each other for awhile, let things settle and calm down." She answered, she sounded as if she had been doing a lot of thinking and finally had the courage to make the hard decision she had been putting off. "I can't keep fighting with you, we've done nothing but fight for the last four months since you broke it off."

"Maybe your right." He finally looked up at her.

"Maybe one day we can be friends." She smiled at him as he turned to go. He nodded but didn't add anything else and closed the door behind him but not before leaving something next to her hamster's cage.

I watched as she made her way over to the cage and slowly picked the small object. She stared at it for a moment and saw that it was a key before she pocketed it and rejoined me on the couch.

"Joe is still as good looking as I remember and still the same pain in the ass." I commented as I handed her the tub of ice cream.

"Yeah still the same Joe, though he had grown up a little over the years…" A chuckle broke out of her. "He was actually my first skip and his car was the first I blew up."

"There always was a lot of history between you two, there has been since you two were children." I said slowly between sips of beer. "Some times it is better to just let go of the past and start over. I know that I had to." I smiled faintly at her. "Is it true that you were stalked by a rabbit?" I asked suddenly remembering what one of the guy had said a few years back when he had stopped by Trenton before returning to the bureau.

"Guy in a rabbit suit, yep." She nodded.

"A sawed in half dead guy on your couch?"

"Yep."

"Car bomb that caused a garbage truck to fall on your porche?" I asked again.

"Ranger's porche but yeah." She nodded.

"You certainly live an interesting life, hon." I laughed and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "When you working next?" I asked coming up with an idea.

"Monday." She replied looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Come with me to the hotel, we'll get room service, have a few light drinks and commiserate over the mess that is our love lives." I suggested finishing off my second beer.

"Sounds good." She grinned and jumped up and grabbed her purse and a change of clothes, I grabbed my things, we locked up and she drove us to the Hamilton.

As soon as I had the keys to my little apartment room I rushed her in, we browsed the menu before ordering junk food and a to my surprise she added a bottle of southern comfort.

"Hey we're looking for comfort" She protested as I raised an eye brow at her as I ordered it and laughed.

It didn't take long for all the goodies to arrive and even less for us to be drunk.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I stretched lazily curled up against Tomas's side and glanced at the clock._ Hmm six am, I got here at three pm and we spent most of the after noon and night 'catching up'. _I heard Tomas groan as his phone went off, throwing him out of sleep and he answered the phone sleepily and I could hear male laughter on the other end.

"What the fuck you want Bobby?" Tom growled and then threw a quick glance at the clock. "Be there in fifteen." He hung up and then sat up before looking at me. "Just like old times Angel, you made me late for work." He chuckled.

"I did my best." I grinned at him as I climbed out of bed and slowly got dressed and walked over to him, giving him a slow deep kiss and dropped a card on his beside table as he stood up and headed for the shower.

"What was that?" He asked pausing at the door.

"Cell number and where I am staying." I shrugged as I pulled on my calf high boots. "I thought since I was going to be in town for awhile you might want to know where to find me." I stood up and grabbed my purse and dug through it as one of my phones started to ring. "Grenzlo" I answered it as I heard the shower start up.

"Am I speaking to Ms Tori Grenzlo?" A tired male voice asked.

"Yes you are, may I enquire as to who you are?" I asked as I let myself out of Tom's apartment and out of the building to my truck and climbed in.

"My name is Charles Henderson, I work for Talen and Co."

"As in the Lawyer firm in Miami?" I asked still confused as to why he was calling me and at six in the morning too.

"We have only recently been informed of your parents passing and I have been track you down for the last two months, you are one hard person to find." He confirmed.

"And you are calling me because?" I asked rolling my eyes as he babbled and turned over the engine.

"Your parents left some things that they wished you to have, would it be at all possible for you to swing by our offices any time soon?" He replied.

"Well not today no, I'm in Trenton, New Jersey. It may take me a few days to get a flight out." I sighed, it didn't want to leave town just yet, I'd only just arrived after all. I pulled my note book out of my bag and found a pen. "Give me your number Mr Henderson and I'll call as soon as I can get a flight out and let you know when I can be there." I jotted down the bunch of numbers he threw at me and bid him a good day before hanging up and clipped the phone in the hands free kit and sat there for a few more minutes before I threw the car in the drive and headed for the hotel. I needed a shower and change of clothes and then I would call the air port.

I pulled into the parking lot and headed into the lobby stopping at the desk.

"Any messages for Tori Grenzlo?" I asked as I dug through my bag for the key to my room. I was handed three pink slips and a parcel with familiar hand writing on it. I thanked the guy behind the desk and hurried up to my room looking over the messages, all three were from Andy asking me to call him back. I unlocked my door and slung a do not disturb sign on the handle and headed straight for the shower.

I made it a quick one and dressed in tight fitting black jeans and a black singlet and pulled my calf high black steel caped two inch heels back on and hit speed dial five.

"Leadman." He answered a little sleepily before I realised the time difference.

"Sorry Andy I forgot about the time difference I just got your messages." I apologised as I sat down on the couch and ran my brush through my hair. "If it was so urgent why didn't you call my cell?"

"I did there was no reply." He replied sounding as if he was still trying to wake up.

I glanced around the room and sighed. I'd left it behind. "Sorry, it seems I left it behind in my room, so what's up with the file?"

"Boss want you to take it to RangeMan for him, last he heard Ranger was out of town and he didn't know who to give it to, he knows that you know most of the guys so he figured you would know who to give it to, to make sure that it got the right attention." Andy replied through a yawn.

I didn't both correcting him that Ranger was back in town, or if he had even left or what ever. "Yeah sure, I'll take it over in a bit." I agreed as I found a directory and looked up the airport. "How's the rookie going?"

"He is driving me nuts, all brawns and no brains I swear." Andy groaned.

"Well jus remember what we used to be like and cut him a little slack." I urged him with a chuckle. "I'll talk to you later, you watch you back."

"You too." He replied and I hung up.

I picked up the hotel phone and dialled the airport and booked a flight out to Miami for tomorrow night and called Henderson back and told him when I would be landing, he said that he would arrange a hotel close by for the night for me all paid for and would call me back with the detail and I hung up.

I dialled room service and ordered breakfast and a pot of coffee.

It didn't take me long to eat my food but I lingered over my coffee and scooped up my phone with out looking at it when it rang.

"Grenzlo."

"Angel."

"Gee did you miss me that much?" I asked with a chuckle. "I've only been gone two hours." I set my cup down as he chuckled.

"Seemed like a life time with all the flak I've been getting from the guys."

"Aww, poor honey, don't worry you're a big tough guy you can take it." I laughed.

"I got quiet a bit of shit when they saw my back."

"Hmm, sorry about that, Tom, guess I got a little carried away." I chuckled as I apologised. "Hey I gotta swing by, I got a special delivery for Ranger."

"I'll meet you in lobby."

"Meet with a large mug of coffee and I'll love you forever." I said.

"Promise?" His voice deepened a little.

"Yeah, that's a promise lover." I smiled as I picked up my purse and the package and headed out the door with my car keys in my hand.

"Your place for dinner tonight?" I heard a faint snigger and heard him growl.

"Sure thing, we'll order room service." I agreed as I climbed into my car. "I'll be there in five."

"I'll have the coffee waiting." He replied and hung up.

I couldn't believe the amount of traffic on the road for a Monday morning, but no one seemed to be in a great big rush to get any where fast, so it was easy for me to cut through the traffic and stopped in front of the building. I grabbed everything and hurried into the lobby and grinned as Tom waited in the elevator with a travelling cup which from the smell of it was full of coffee.

"Thanks Tank." I said sipping a few mouthfuls as we headed up to the fifth floor and I followed him into the control room. I noted the guys I had already met and spotted Steph in her own little cubical on the far side of the room lost in what ever was on the computer screen. "Ranger" I greeted him with a small nod and handed over the package unopened. "Special delivery from FBI headquarters, seems they think you are out of town still." I explained with a small shrug as he raised an eyebrow. I gulped down a few more mouthfuls and finally felt my mind waking up properly and saw Steph staring at me talking to Ranger and an eyebrow raised at the sight of Tank's hand on my hip. I sent her a sly wink as both guys were involved with opening the package and looking over the file. I snuck over with out them noticing and lent against her desk. "How you feeling today?" I asked, she looked like she hadn't slept well last night and I handed her my coffee at which she gave me a grateful smile and gulped some of it down.

"Better, it took me all day to shake the damn hang over though." She replied with a grin and handed the coffee back.

"Anything I should know about?" I asked when she hesitated.

"I think some one was watching me last night and I don't think it was any of the guys." She told me softly so her voice wouldn't carry.

We both looked towards the guys as I heard my name and Tank frowning at where I had been and gave them both a little finger wave as they spotted me with Steph.

"Meet me for lunch?" I suggested as they walked over. "Pino's?"

"Sure, I'll tell you about the time I got Tank stranded at the airport." She chuckled.

"Sounds interesting" I grinned.

"I take it you two know each other." Ranger raised an eyebrow.

"Went to school together." We both replied at the same time and grinned.

"Babe." He almost smiled. "Don't forget we have a ten o'clock in the gun range." He reminded her.

"I won't forget." She nodded.

"Tori a word?"

I followed Tank and Ranger out into a private office and Tank closed the door.

"I take it that you didn't get good news in that file." I commented as I lent against the desk.

"No I didn't." Ranger sighed as he sat down behind the desk. "Seems history does repeat it's self. This file doesn't just concern me but you as well."

"How so?" I asked my eyes narrowing.

"Contella just broke out of prison." I felt my face pale a little and raised a hand over my left cheek and I caught the glance Tank threw Ranger before he approached me and removed my hand tracing the faint scar that he hadn't noticed before. It was only faintly visible when I was sick or went pale. "He will be out to get both of us, you'll have to warn your family."

"I don't have any left." I told him quietly with a small shrug. "They all died over a year ago now. I'll have to warn my partner and tell him to watch himself though…" I hesitated a moment. "When did he break out?"

"Four days ago."

"Then it won't be long before he strikes at us, it might be harder for him to get at us if we weren't both in the same town." I sighed and rubbed my forehead.

"It'll be easier for him to get at us here yes that's true, but it will also be easier for us to stay alive with my people keeping an eye on him." Ranger nodded but he disagreed.

"I'll make a few phone calls…" I nodded slowly.

"Would you consider staying here until he is caught?" Ranger asked with a raised eyebrow. "Staying at a hotel right now would be inviting trouble."

"Might be an idea." I nodded. "But I have to fly to Miami tomorrow night, my family's lawyer rang me this morning, I have a few things to clear up."

"I'd suggest calling the company direct and make sure that it was them that called and not Contella pulling your leg." Ranger warned.

"Yeah I was going to do that." I agreed. "You know any where around here where I can get my security on my truck upgraded?"

"Yeah Eddie can do that." Ranger nodded. "I'll get him to do a house call."

"Just tell me how much and I'll write a cheque" I nodded in thanks and headed out of the office. "Steph…" I stopped at her side. "This is important, I know you don't want Ranger to worry about this person watching you last night but tell him and tell him now." I urged her when I was sure no one was near enough to over hear.

"Why what's going on?" She asked looking a little confused.

"Just trust me on this. If you don't tell him then I will." I warned her.

"That bad huh?" She sighed. "This stalker business is getting really old." But she stood up and I followed her back to Ranger's office.

"Problem Babe?" He asked as he hung up his phone.

"Tori seems to think so." Steph nodded and let out another sigh. "Some one was watching me last night, you know how good I've gotten at knowing when I am being watched over the years. I didn't see anyone, but I could feel it."

"Why didn't you say something earlier?" He asked calmly but I saw his jaw tighten.

"I just figured it was one of my usual stalkers, and as I hadn't gotten any threatening messages of any kind I figured I was safe for now." She shrugged looking a little blaze.

"Boss…." A young looking Hispanic guy stepped into the office and hesitated as he saw the group assembled.

"What is it Hal?" Tank asked, just waiting for the shoe to drop.

"Some one just broke into Ms Plum's apartment."

"Well scratch off threatening messages then." I commented with a shake of my head. "If it's who I think it is then there is now either something dead in there or something explosive."

"You know his profile better then anyone Tori where would he put it?" Ranger asked suddenly looking like he hadn't slept in days and his voice and eyes were emotionless.

"Something dead? Then probably in her bed or bathroom. Explosive?" I paused to think. "Fridge, oven, couch or under the bed."

"Tank take a team out and check it over." Ranger ordered.

"Just don't open the fridge or oven." I warned him and followed him out into the control. "And check her hamster cage, he likes to be cruel." I added quietly.

"Got it. Les, Bobby, Cal you're with me." He called out and they all left the office.

"And here I thought today was going to be a good day." I sighed and pulled out my phone and dialled the operater in Miami. "Talen and Co please." I waited as the connection went through.

"Talen and Co, how may I direct you call?" A chirpy female answered the phone.

"Hi I have an appointment to see a lawyer and I can't remember the time or who it was with I was wondering if you could look it up for me?" I asked leaning against the nearest wall.

"Your name please?"

"Tori Grenzlo." I replied spelling out my last name for her.

"You have an appointment with Mr Charles Henderson Wednesday morning at eight. Is there anything else I can help you with?" She enquired.

"No thank you that was all." I thanked her and hung up and paused out side Ranger's office as I heard Steph arguing with him, I sighed, Ranger was losing patience. It went quiet for a few moments and I heard Ranger ask her something in an almost pleading tone and her quiet reply. I lent against the wall and waited not hearing what they were saying but from the quick conversation it was important to them both that this got done now.

I shook my head as three of Ranger's men tried to see him, warning that he didn't want to be interrupted and waited, finishing off my nearly cold coffee.

I watched as Steph stalked out of his office twenty minutes later and headed straight for the gym, instead of out of the building like I thought she might try to do.

I stepped into his office and saw him run his hands through his black locks in frustration. "You want me to talk to her?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No she has agreed to stay in the building until Contella is caught." He shook his head. "I just have to find away to keep her occupied so she doesn't go nuts."

"Rent her some movies, a few games, beer, Ben and Jerry's, some training and work." I suggested with a small smile. "Just keep her busy, it's not hard to do. I called the company, it's legit." I added changing the topic. "I'll tell you one thing though, now that I know Contella is out there I do not want to go." I sighed and sank down into a near by chair. "I might see if I can get him to come here, saying I can't leave."

"That might be for the best." Ranger nodded in agreement. "Tank called, just before you came in."

"So what was it?" I asked feeling a little bit of dread creeping into my heart.

"Bomb strapped to the bottom of her bed, they have the bomb squad there right now, Les will stay and deal with them, Tank had packed up some of her things and checked them over so they are clear." He replied with a shake of his head. "He'll stop by your hotel and grab you gear too."

Out of habit I let my left hand pat my pocket and frowned when I realised that my keys were gone. "He picked my pocket?"

"No I did." Ranger gave me an amused look.

"That's just cheating." I shook my head.

"Yo" He answered his phone and listened for a moment before he hung up. "Eddie is here, Hal will take your keys down to him so he can install the new systems." Ranger informed me as Hal stepped into the room. I handed my keys over with out a second thought and suddenly felt like kicking something.

"I'll be with Steph in the gym while I make a few calls." I told him as I left him to it. I made a quick call to Andy and told him that Contella was on the loose and that he should watch his back. I settled on a bench at the back of the gym and watched as Steph punched and kicked at a punching bag while I called Mr Henderson and told him that something had come up and I couldn't leave Trenton for some time and if there was any chance he could come to me.

He assured me quiet happily that he would be able to come to me and he would make arrangements right away and would call back with the details. I told him that I would have some one meet him at the airport and I hung up.

I walked over calmly to where Steph was still taking her frustration out on the bag and braced it for her, not saying anything.

"What did Tank find?" She asked calmly between hits.

"Bomb taped to the bottom of your bed." I told her and moved to her side as she stopped and her shoulders dropped. I wrapped a arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. "This guy is not very nice, Steph and he will do anything to get back at Ranger and me."

"Why you?" Steph looked at me in surprise.

"Because I helped Ranger capture him." I shrugged and I absently ran a finger over my scar.

"He did that?" She asked quietly catching sight of it.

"Yeah, he kidnapped me and cut me for the fun of it, he wanted Ranger off balance and thought by taking me he would have that." I chuckled slightly. "He thought I was Ranger's woman you see, he didn't realise that it was a pose to catch his attention. We just didn't know at the time how dangerous he was, we knew the full extent of it afterwards though." I shook my head and sighed.

"Ranger doesn't go off balance when people he knows are in danger he gets focused." Steph told me firmly with a smile. "And pushy." She added with a frown.

"He is used to ordering people around and getting results, it comes from being in the army, Hon, don't take it so personally." I studied her for a moment. "He doesn't just want you safe for your sake but for his too."

"I know." She sighed and then lost the battle and smiled. "At least this time he asked me to stay inside the building, I don't follow orders well."

"Hon you never did." I burst out laughing.

"True enough" Steph giggled "Ben and Jerry's party at my room tonight?" Steph asked. "Well as soon as I find out where Ranger is going to stash me."

"Not tonight." I shook my head and gave her an apologetic look. "I've already been booked for the night." A let a goofy smile cross my lips.

"Tank?" Steph smiled.

"Yeah, we'll probably have dinner at his place, some wine, maybe a rented movie followed by quality time in the bedroom." I grinned as Steph burst out laughing.

"I heard all about Tank being late for work this morning." She continued to laugh. "They guys were all picking on him, though it was Ranger that was joking about the state of his back, when they went to the gym at seven to train."

"Yeah well Ranger always did like teasing Tank, but don't worry Tank gives back as good as he gets he just bides his time." I grinned evilly.

We looked up as Ranger approached and he eyed me warily. "I know that look, should I be worried."

"Not yet." I chuckled.

"You going to bunk in with Tank?" He asked.

"Might as well." I nodded. "Why pass up the chance of a life time?" I grinned.

"Fourth floor or Seventh?" He turned to look at Steph. "And would you join me for dinner?"

"I'd like that." Steph nodded. "I'll stay on the fourth floor for now until this crazy is caught." I studied her for a moment and knew that she wanted to stay with Ranger with just one look but she was holding back for some reason. "But for now I better get back to work." She hurried off before Ranger could say anything else.

"Please tell me you didn't give her that reel of I don't do relationships, Ric." I said with a small sigh, and I knew he had when he just looked at me. "Okay I understand that at the time it was the right thing to do because of Morelli, but he isn't in her life now." I chuckled as he raised an eyebrow. "We kept in touch over the years and she filled in everything that I missed out on."

"She's not with Morelli?" He asked looking a little surprised.

"No she's not." I shook my head. "She hasn't been for three months, I know this because I got caught in the middle of a fight between them on Saturday. They've tried to patch things up but I think there were a few bumps that he can't get over." I stood up and slowly stretched. "She is waiting for you to make a move, and from what I just saw she will hold back until you tell her that you are ready."

"And when did you become so good at reading people?" He asked with a small shake of his head.

"I was a profiler Ric, remember. It was my job and I've known her for what seems like forever. Court her, show her that you are human." I told him before bending down and pulled off my boots and headed over to the matts that were empty of people, dropped my jacket and gun at the edge and began doing a few gymnastic moves, flips, stretches, poises, cartwheels and walking on my hands.

"And how do you know that I am interested?" He asked, his face blank.

"Well for one, your face is blank." I commented, keeping apart of my attention on staying up right and walking perfectly balanced on my hands, and not looking at him. "Two, you give her anything she needs whether she asks for it or not, and Three you offered her to stay in your own apartment." I counted off the points and did a few back flips until I was facing him. "And four, you asked her to stay. If you didn't care you would have ordered her to stay and not made any compromises and you wouldn't have told her who was out to get us." I studied his blank face for a moment, he may have thought that he was covered but I could see the emotions flicker through his eyes. "You forget Ric, I've known you for years, before you became Ranger, before you joined the army and learnt to hide everything away. I've seen you at your best and I've seen you at your worst, I know you through and through, just like you know me." I smiled as he slowly nodded and his lips tilted up slightly in a smile. "If you like her as much as your actions say you do don't play with her, dinner is a good start, you are as good as me at reading people some times better, use that to your advantage. I've known Steph a little longer then I've known you, and I know for a fact that she won't wait around for you forever, she has made her decision, she wants you. But if you take too long she will think that you don't want her and she will find a way to move on." I paused watching him closely. "Even if it breaks her heart." I picked up my gun and jacket, grabbed my shoes and left him standing there lost deep in thought and took the stairs down the fourth floor and tapped on Tank's door. I knew some one was in there, I could hear some one moving about. I grinned as he opened the door and waved me in.

"I got your things for you, and a spare key." He handed the latter to me and then raised an eyebrow as he saw me carrying my shoes.

"I was in the gym." I explained as I dropped my jacket on the back of his couch but pull my gun hip holster back into place.

"Eddie finished with your car." He added handing me my keys and I add his key to the six others on the ring. "He said you can pay later when things calm down. He put a better alarm on it, a bomb detector and a tampering gadget to let you know if some one has tapered with it at all."

I winced. "That's going to cost me." I sighed.

"With GPS."

"Double it." I sighed again. "Oh well it was something that I was going to get done anyway at least it was by some one I trust and can rely on." I looked down at my watch as my stomach rumbled. Lunch time.

"The kitchen is open on fifth if your hungry just remember that it's all stuff that Ranger will eat." Tank told me with a smile as my stomach growled again.

"At this point I think I could eat nearly anything." I shrugged and pulled my shoes on.

"Shall I cook us dinner tonight?" He asked as we left his rooms and headed back up to the fifth floor.

"Only if you make your boston mud cake for desert."

"Deal." He chuckled and kissed me on the cheek before disappeared into an office.

I headed to the back of the communications room and found the kitchen easily looking over the ready made lunches and chose chicken salad roll and an orange juice and ate it over the bench listening to the faint sounds of talking from the main room. I knew from experience what it meant when it went quiet, it meant that Ranger was in the room but there was a steady stream of chatter when he wasn't.

"Grenzlo." I said as I answered my phone as it chirped. I listened as Mr Henderson told me everything that he had arranged. He was flying out in an hour and would arrive in five hours, deliver everything and fly out again three hours later. I told him to watch for an intimidating man or men dressed in black clothes when he got to the terminal and hung up. The room went deathly quiet and I stepped out of the kitchen and spotted Ranger having a quick word with Les to one side of the room and Tank heading towards me. "Need a favour hon." I said as he nudged me into the empty kitchen.

"What do you need?" He asked with a smile.

"I need two guys to pick Mr Henderson from the airport, he knows to look for two intimidating men in black, he'll land in six hours." I asked.

"I'll see who is off shift who doesn't mind." Tank nodded. "Dinner will be served at seven, but for now I gotta go do some work." He kissed me deeply and then was gone. I had to admire him for such a big man he sure could move silently.

I kept my self busy for the rest of the afternoon by returning to the gym after I changed into skin tight leggings and a sports bra. I started on the tread mill for a five mile run, moved on to weights, then to the punching bag. Only once I felt all my muscles were working properly and completely did I moved to the mats and found Ric doing push ups near by.

I didn't say anything but raised my eyebrow in a questioning manner and he joined me a few moments later.

We circled each other warily, the last time we had a match, six years ago he had broken my arm and I had fractured three of his ribs and we were coved in bruises and both had been sent to hospital after we had dropped in exhaustion. It wasn't that we had anything against each other or anything but we had both been on edge, frustrated, terrified and angry so we had taken it out on each other. That had been a few days after we had gotten Contella put away for life and had silent agreed not to spar like that again.

I let him make the first move so I knew at what level this was going to be. I blocked the heavy blow that was aimed at my ribs and easily judged the strength being half and returned in kind.

I may only be five foot nine, and lithe but through all the exercise I had as a child and the training I had put into my body I could be as deadly as anyone I knew. I could have easily joined the army and become SF but it hadn't been my thing so I went for FBI instead.

I could toss a man three times my weight, not easily but I could do it.

After a few rounds had been passed we on silent agreement sped up the movements, so it went from teaching to fast sparing in twenty minutes.

We both ignored the crowd that was gathering, as his men recognised the skills that we were showing off, I wouldn't have been surprised if there was a crowd gathering around the monitors in the control room.

I rarely showed off what I could do, hell I rarely showed half of what I could, mainly so people would underestimate me. It made my job easier for one thing and for another I didn't like to brag.

I grunted as I landed hard on the mat, air rapidly leaving my lungs leaving me coughing and gasping for breath, but it didn't stop me from catching his foot as it came down to catch me in the chest. I held it before twisting it and jerking him off balance and knocked his other leg out from under him, and smiled faintly as he landed with a loud, satisfying thud and I heard the breath leave his lungs. I easily flipped to my feet and was about to take a step away from him when he slapped the mat three times calling an end to the match.

I relaxed my stance and bent forward a little to catch my breath properly.

"I see you haven't lost your touch, Tor." He commented with a two hundred watt grin as he slowly sat up and winced as his back protested. "I didn't think you had, but it seemed like a good idea at the time to see if you had." He continued as he slowly got to his feet.

I smirked as I saw money exchanging hands, most of the men looked stunned but those who knew me, mainly Bobby, Cal and Tank who had shown up at some point were grinning and collecting money.

I touched my right side tenderly and explored it with firm but gentle finger tips and glad that I found nothing but painful bruises and I chuckled as I saw Ric doing the same.

"Remember the last match?" I asked with a small shake of my head.

"Yeah, three weeks in hospital." He grinned as we slowly began stretching to cool down so we wouldn't cramp. "Broken bones, fractures, internal bleeding, bruises that didn't fade for weeks."

"Let's hope we don't have to do a repeat." I sighed as I spoke quietly. "But you feel better now?"

"Yeah, thanks Mi Cara." He nodded.

"Alright you two hit the showers, then I want to make sure you haven't fractured anything." Bobby ordered as the crowd dispersed.

"We're fine Bobby." I waved him off as we both stepped off the mats.

"Sure, then why are you limping?" Bobby snorted.

"Huh?" I blinked and took a few tentative steps and winced as my left ankle protested, I hadn't noticed it before as I had concentrated solely on Ric's movements and everything else had become second. Including pain.

"You both remember last time, you didn't realise the damage you had done until an hour later." Bobby reminded us with a shake of his head. "You two are going to bloody sore in the morning."

"Yeah but right now I think it was worth it." I chuckled as we left the gym. I let Ric and Bobby headed up to the seventh floor and waited for the lift to come back down. "So how did it look from where you were standing?" I asked casually to Tank.

"Honestly it looked like you two were trying to kill each other." He snorted. "But it was a great show of skill and strength, though you frightened Steph. It took both me and Bobby to assure her that you two were just working off nerves." He chuckled. "She made a comment of not getting either of you pissed off, and really didn't want to see either of you in a real fight. And then called you both idiots."

"Each to their own." I shrugged as the elevator opened and we went down one floor and into his rooms. I grabbed a change of clothes and hit the shower. As I dressed I began to feel some of the bruises forming properly and winced a few times as they pulled the wrong way. I limped back to the lounge and sat down with my left foot elevated, I knew I had done something to it as it was beginning to swell. But after have my own fair share of broken bones and fractures I was confident to call it lightly sprained. Painful yes, but once taped up and iced it would be fine after a day or two.

I patiently put up with Bobby's examination when he arrived carrying his little doctor kit, he ended up taping up my left ankle and my right wrist and place two ice packs on my ankle to keep it from blowing up too much.

"Ric isn't in much better shape." He told me with a shake of his head. "Twisted ankle, bruised ribs, black eye and three sprained fingers…or in a way you won this round, you are in better shape."

"Good to know." I chuckled softly.

"Sprained ankle, wrist, bruised ribs and a bruised cheek." He told me firmly what he had found wrong with me.

"Hey at least we didn't end up in hospital again." I told him cheerfully.

"Well that's something at least." He sighed and stood up. "I think some times we should keep you two away from each other. One day you two are going to do permanent damage to each other."

"No, we won't." I said quietly, my hand absently stroking my upper arm where a thick fat bandaid sat, when people asked I just said that it was a cut. No one actually knew what was under there but me, Ric and Tom.

"Arm sore?" Bobby asked looking worried.

"What?" I asked coming out of my memories.

"Is your arm sore?" He repeated stepping closer to have a closer look.

"No, it's fine." I shook my head and waved him off. "Thanks, hon." I said as Tank brought in a cup of coffee for me. "Bobby it's fine." I protested as he lifted up the short sleeve of my shirt.

"Then why is there a huge bandaid on it?" He scoffed.

"It's from before I got here, it's fine." My voice dropped the playing tone and was serious.

"At least let me look it over." He continued.

"Leave it Bobby." Tank spoke up in a end of discussion voice.

I ignored Bobby's frown as he glanced between us as I took a few mouthfuls of my coffee and lent back in my seat with a happy sigh.

"What's the time?"

"Six, Henderson will be here in thirty." Tank spoke up still staring Bobby down.

Bobby sighed heavily and picked up his kit. "Well let me know if anything gets any worse." He said as he left, looking a little hurt.

"Is what I think under that?" Tank asked quietly.

"Yeah." I nodded slightly.

"You haven't told anyone about it?" He sounded a little surprised.

"Only you and Ric know about my second life when I was younger Tom." I shook my head. "Not even the FBI know about it, though I would probably get kicked out for it if they ever found out." I sighed.

"Not even Steph?"

"No, she never knew and I never told her. She might have known something was going on but never asked." I shook my head and stared in to my cup. "If it wasn't for you and Ric I would most like be six foot under by know." I smiled up at him, my eyes going for cold and hard to warm and gentle.

"You know you never told me how long you were at it before we caught you and helped you turn your life around." He commented quietly as he sat down beside me, an arm around my shoulders. "all you would say was long enough to be good at it."

I stared back down in to my coffee, it was true. Tomas may have known what I was but he didn't know the details.

"I was eight when I first joined, running errands, picking up things for them, easy stuff at first. I really didn't know what I was getting into, but who looks at an eight year old kid?" I started slowly. "When I was twelve things started getting serious, a gang was moving in on their territory and they were down nine members, so they started training me and always told me to make sure that I wasn't seen coming and going. I was thirteen when I killed my first person, I was their ace in the hole, their mysterious member." I took a slow breath. "No one but fully trusted and loyal members knew about me, I was an unknown to every one else. I was a natural marks man, gun or knife it didn't matter. I was initiated three weeks after I killed for the first time." I took a long drink. "It didn't bother me at the time, it was as if I was living two separate lives, almost dreaming. I some how managed to keep it from every one that I cared about, my family, my friends, my teachers. It was almost as if when it began to get dark I became some one else completely." I shook my head sadly. "I just didn't care, I had seen the harder side of life and knew that it was kill or be killed out there. I was always careful when I went to check in each night, I received my assignment and I'd head out to track them down with no one to help me. I didn't needed, the file they'd give me would have everything thing in it, including favourite haunts. It would rarely take me longer then a week to complete it when I was starting out, after my sixteenth birthday, I had made myself a name with in the group. Hells Angel." I smirked. "They said it was because I was beautiful, charming, but I had claws and I was deadly. I used everything I had as a weapon…as you well know." I smiled slightly at him and then frowned slightly. "How old was I when we met?" I asked, I honestly couldn't remember.

"You were fourteen, Tori." He reminded my with a kiss on the cheek. "We were eighteen."

"That's right." I smiled. "You two were amazed that anyone that age could be that flexiable. You guys went on to collage and I continued on with my double life, sure that no one knew what was going on. After I turned eighteen I signed up for collage with Steph, we had a few classes together but other wise we were doing totally different courses. There was a rumour going through the streets that there was an assassin in town to take out Hell's Angel, bought and paid for by one of the rival gangs. I knew that it was going to be hard for them to track me down and kill me if they didn't know who they were looking for." I finished my coffee and set the empty mug on the table and was about to continue when some one knocked on the door. "Talk about bad timing." I muttered as Tank got up to see who it was. I heard a few murmurs and then Tank returned.

"Henderson is here, they put him in conference room three."

"Right…Henderson." I sighed and slowly got to my feet testing my ankle and pulled on a pair of flat heeled slip on shoes. "I'll be back in a bit." I promised and kissed his cheek. I took the elevator down to the second floor and entered the room third on the right. A chirpy looking five foot five guy in a black suit stood up as I entered, his blonde hair looked like a birds nest, his blue eyes looked tired but wide awake. "Mr Henderson, thank you so much for coming."

"It was no problem Ms Grenzlo." He assured me as we shook hands. "What happened to you if you don't mind me asking." He asked as we sat down looking a little worried.

"Oh…" I smiled. "I got a little carried away when I was sparing with a friend. Believe it or not he is in worse shape then me." I replied as I made myself comfortable. "Now, what is this about?"

"Your parents will. They changed it a few weeks after your sister died and have left everything to you." He stated as he got down to business and pulled out two envelopes, he slid the first one over to me. "That one is everything that they owned, accounts, properties, it is now up to you what you want to do with it all."

"Accounts and properties?" I asked stunned. "When we were growing up we barely had enough money to us through school, at least that was what they kept telling us." I stared down at the envelope but I didn't open it.

"It was the way they wanted to live, the money was for emergencies." Mr Henderson informed me with a small shrug. "Who knows how other people think." He looked down at the second envelope. "Now I don't know what is in this one, they wouldn't say, just that you were to have it when they died." He slid it over to me. "They were both ill for some time but they didn't want you to know, they said you had enough to worry about." He pulled out a sheet of paper. "I just need a signature saying you received two unopened envelopes."

I checked the envelopes and then signed the paper after reading through it carefully and handed it back. "You father asked me to tell you one more thing." He added as he closed his brief cases and stood up ready to leave. "I didn't understand it but said you would. 'The past works in circles, it always comes back no matter what we do to prevent it. Hell is in danger of freezing over and will need protecting. Find Coyote an old friend of yours, it is the other name of the one in the second envelope. Watch your six, you've made us proud.'" He quoted off a small piece of paper and then slid it over to me and left.

I sat there stunned. _My father knew. He knew that I was Hell's Angel. He knew I was in a gang and didn't say anything? And how did he know about Coyote? _My brain shrieked at me. _Not many knew about Coyote just like they didn't know about me, some times we tag teamed…_ I shook my head and opened the second envelope and stared, tears of shock welled and slid down my cheeks.

Adoption papers, birth certificates, papers with names and out of date addresses…and they were mine.

I was adopted and they never told me, I had another family out there and I didn't even know them. I stared at the names, which didn't mean much to me, next to the parents name in an even scrawl that belonged to my father was one word and dates. Deceased…but I had a brother that was still alive.

I turned to the note my father had left and it suddenly clicked.

_Coyote is my BROTHER? _My mind went blank and I slumped in my seat. _Wait he said Hell was freezing over…the gang is in trouble again. _I sighed and sat up and collected up the papers and limped my way to the elevator. _Looks like I'll have to go back again, protect my family. Just like I've been doing for the last ten years. _I sighed a little heavier as I stepped off the elevator and let myself back into now our apartment and dropped on the couch. I could hear Tomas in the kitchen, sounded like he was serving up dinner. _I may have left but I never turned my back on them and they knew that. They knew that I needed to appear to have a job and they respected my wish to retire for a time until they needed me. They've only called on me a few times over the last decade, mainly for a bit of information or to help a brother out of trouble._ I slowly opened up the other envelope and looked over the file that was inside. Numbered accounts with their amounts in them, along with the cards and pins to access them, all done up in my birth name. Torina Telini.

I continued to look over all the paper work leaving the cards attached. _Wow, they were really loaded. _I shook my head slightly at some of the figures I saw and then thought about the message. _Father wanted me to be protected, I can use some of this money to do that. _I closed the file after picking three of the cards and jotting the pins down on my ever present note book, along with the few ID cards that father had done up for me.

I dragged my small duffle bag from beside the couch on to my lap and stuffed everything into it and looked thoughtfully at the message.

_Hell freezing over…the gang…will need protection…Hell's Angel is needed…Find Coyote…Find my bother, tell him what I know, team up and find out what exactly is causing the trouble. _I mentally decoded the messages in the one note. _Watch your back, people who were thought were gone are still around causing trouble and are looking to kill you…..Right got it Papa._ I sighed and slipped the note into my pocket.

"You alright Angel?" Tomas asked coming into the room.

"Yeah I'm fine." I gave him a bright smile, though inside I was still trying to figure out everything I had been told. I needed a way to find Coyote with out attracting attention and then I needed to get out of RangeMan and away from the guys with out being seen…But Contella was out there… "It was just about my parents will that's all."

"You look troubled that's all." He commented. I didn't say anything as he set the table and then brought out dinner. "Don't want to talk about it?" He asked.

"Not now." I shook my head as I got up and joined him at the table. "Just out of curiosity, I know the building is wired, but are the apartments?" I asked as I started eating the chicken and mushroom pasta.

"They are, but mine is disabled." He nodded. "why?"

"Oh I just didn't want to think that every one was crowding around a monitor with pop corn thinking they are watching a TV soap." I grinned as he burst out laughing.

"No we are safe, there is only one camera active in here and that is at the door so they can see who comes and goes and when." He assured me.

_Shit. _I cursed but kept my smile in place. _But at least I can make phone calls in private. _

"I got a call while you were in your meeting, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to cut this evening short, one of the guys got injured and can't do his shift so I'm gonna have to take it." He said quietly.

"Oh…" I was really disappointed, I was looking forward to a fun evening. "Well that just sucks." I sighed.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise." He squeezed my hand.

"Just shows you that life isn't predictable huh?" I gave him a small smile and a look that told him that I understood with out having to say anything. "This is just as good as I remember." I complimented his cooking. "If it is even possible it tastes better."

"Thanks Angel." He chuckled. "I know it is one of your favourites." He glanced up at the clock.

"How soon?" I asked looking down at my plate.

"Half an hour, but I'll have to go in fifteen." He sighed.

"It's okay, we can do this another night." I assured him with a grin, and hoped to high heaven that I wasn't lying. Especially if my old family was in trouble, I was going to have to go, and essentially disappear from their radars to help them. _We will have this dinner again….it will just have to be postponed a little longer then either of us can guess. _ I promised myself and watched as he finished off his meal and headed for the bedroom and changed from jeans and silk shirt to his black combats and body hugging black top. He pocketed his phone and holstered his gun, kissed me on the forehead.

"Don't wait up, I don't think I'll be home until three."

"Watch your six, Tomas." I told him before he headed out the door. I left the rest of my dinner untouched and quickly found my everyday phone, that I knew no one could tap into. I needed information and dialled a number that I hadn't rung in over a year, hoping that he was still alive. The phone picked up but no one said anything, I could hear the heavy boom of club music in the background. "Kinto." I said firmly.

"What do you need?" A deep yet dangerous voice asked.

"Information, I heard a rumour that I need confirmation on." I said sitting down on the couch. "How is the family doing?" I don't know if I was hoping for him to deny it or the confirm it, but I could feel my blood stirring, like it only ever did when I was protecting my family.

"Word out is there a bit of a problem, some one has just started hunting them. So far only two are confirmed dead…The family are looking for you and an old friend, they didn't say names but I caught what they were sayin'" He told me, his voice lowering as he spoke.

"When did they start spreading the word?" I asked, wondering if I could get away with using RangeMan computer system and not get caught looking for Coyote.

"Last night, they've been in a bit of trouble for the last few weeks but nothing urgent."

"Are there any there tonight?" I asked thinking hard.

"Two, they are pretty high up, they've been turning up every night."

"I'll be in contact old friend." I promised. "I have a few things to settle first."

"I'll pass it on." He confirmed that he understood and hung up.

I made my way up to the control room and sat down in front of a computer that wasn't being used and used my old passwords to get access and smiled when I saw that it hadn't been revoked. I searched through a few different things before getting the point, just trying to cover my trail and quickly found what I was looking for and jotted down the relevant information before shutting down the window I had open and pulled up any info that they had on Contella and browsed through it. It wasn't anything I hadn't seen before, but I wanted to make sure and logged out.

Once I was back in the lounge room I pulled out my phone again and took a deep breath and punched in the number I had found. Again the phone was picked up with out a greeting, just like old times.

"The family needs us." Was all I said, still trying to think of a way to get out of the building with out being stopped or seen.

"I was wondering when I was going to hear from you." A male voice said dryly. "I heard last night, I'm already in town I was just waiting to hear from you."

"I'm in town already but I have a slight problem." I said with a sigh. "I've been here since Saturday, for a vacation but real life work stepped in and now I need help getting away."

"The FBI's work is never done." He chuckled slightly. "Where are you?"

"That's the problem. I'm in lock down at RangeMan." I told him with a frustrated sigh.

"Shit." He sighed.

"You heard about the deal with Contella a few years ago right?"

"Yeah."

"Well he broke out of prison and is now after me and Ranger for revenge." I told him as I walked into the bedroom and changed. I pulled on tight fitting leather pants that had been well worn so they moved with me like a second skin and a leather vest that was in the same condition, put my calf high boots on.

"You never can do things the easy way dear." He sighed.

"Is there any way you can scramble their systems for fifteen minutes?" I asked pulling my dark golden brown hair back into a braid, tying what looked like just two balls on the end but they were solid and spiked when they needed to be, good for turning my braid in to a weapon. Two eight inch blades got strapped to my ankles, another was tied around my waist so I could pull it from over my shoulder. A webbed utility belt went around my waist with four semi's, a dozen clips fully loaded clips, two twelve inch blades, pepper dust, and tiny little bombs that when they exploded made big clouds of smoke and were good for covering get aways.

"Yeah I should be able to do that, when you want it done?" He asked as I stepped into the bathroom with my make up case and I quickly lines my eyes with black eyeliner and put on blood red lipstick, both items went into one of many pockets, along with two very small guns, and various little throwing knives.

"Ten minutes." I told him, not giving myself a chance to back down, but using Contella or Tank as an excuse. I walked into the lounge and wrote out a quick note to Tomas and Ric, basically apologising for disappearing but I was urgently needed else where and I would contact them when it was safe to do so and asking for forgiveness.

"Be ready." He said before hanging up.

I dug through my suitcases and found my ankle length leather coat with a deep hood and pulled it on, emptied out my duffle bag but left the envelopes and added changes of clothes, all black and brown, pulled on fingerless gloves, a few more weapons that I pulled out of secret compartments and zipped up the bag and stood by near the door ready to go.

I glanced at my watch and started counting down and was out the door and down the stairs as the entire building went dark. Exited out the garage, where a guy dressed in leathers was sitting on a silent bike with a helmet in his hand. I threw my bag over my shoulder and took the offered helmet and climbed on to the bike and held on as he sped off just as four men bolted out of the building.

"We need to make a safe side stop so I can double check my gear for tracers." I told him, glad I didn't have to yell over the wind, the helmets were wired so we could communicate.

"On it." He nodded and we pulled into the back of a motel and stopped. He handed me a hand held device that I waved over and through my bag and then my clothes. I pulled two tracers out of my bag and one out of my bra, before getting back on the bike and we sped off again. I glanced at my watch.

"Their system should be coming back on line now." He told me with an amused chuckle.

"How'd you do it?" I asked.

"Over loaded their power supply, with the system they have, it shuts everything down when it over loads to stop it from destroying the system…including all of the back ups, all that stays up is the alarms, no cameras, no sound and no tacking system."

"Very clever." I laughed as we made our way through to the seedier area of town. "Do you know where they moved the base to?"

"Yeah, cheeky little buggers moved in right next door to Boomers and no one knows they are there." He said gleefully, cutting his lights off so we were travelling dark.

"Now that is cheeky, they are still on their turf but on the edge of Ghosts." I laughed with a shake of my head. I kept my eyes open for trouble as we approached a club with a bright flashing sign. VIBES. "Shit." I swore.

"What?" He demanded.

"Three black SUV's, parked around the building. RangeMan is here, they must be one a job, it's too soon for them to be on to us unless I missed a tracer." I told him.

"Even if you missed a few that's device doesn't only pick 'em up but it scrambles the signals." He assured me. "Think anyone will recognise you?"

"Yeah, pretty sure of it." I nodded as we rolled to a stop and both got off. Using darkness and him as a shield I pulled off my helmet and pulled up the hood before digging through a pocket and pulling out a silver chain with a charm on it. It was of flames with wings. I attached it around my neck and saw his was already in place. I tugged my jacket off my shoulders and removed the bandaid. "Don't ask." I told him as he raised an eyebrow. Under neath was the same symbol as on my necklace, the fire red and orange looking like real flames, black wings but in the background was crossed swords, showing that I was a protector, and four dark circles around it told anyone who knew what they were looking for that I was high up in the ranks. I glanced at his right shoulder was the exact same image. We were the only two in the gang with crossed swords and we are highly guarded secret.

I pulled my jacket back into place and made sure the hood hadn't slipped.

"Perfect, can barely tell you're a woman, bar the heels." He told me with a faint chuckle. While the club was open to every one, problems were left at the door or you were asked to leave, politely of course, but it was Hell's territory.

"Man on left at the door, he's RangeMan." I told him softly as we approached and I recognised Cal. We didn't get in line but directly approached the two bouncers, the man on the right while I didn't recognise him, the half hidden necklace told us he was family.

He studied us closely as we approached but waved us through as soon as he saw Coyote's charm. He gestured to Cal to open the door and glared as Cal frowned a little before opening the door.

"Newbie" The right bouncer muttered to us as we passed us as way of explanation and apology.

We weaved our way through the dancers to the bar, both of had our eyes searching, but I knew how to pick out RangeMan people. I almost faltered a step as I caught sight of Tomas behind the bar standing right next to the one person we needed to talk to.

"Problem?" He asked me out of the corner of his mouth.

"I know him and he knows me very well." I replied quietly. "You'll have to do the talking."

"Always told I was good at it." He grinned at me.

"What can I get you?" The bartender next to Tomas asked him, he was built slim and had golden brown skin, his brown eyes sparkling with laughter and life.

"Kinto." Coyote nodded slightly to him. "We'll have two bloody Angels with the swords." He ordered our drinks, cutting a quick glance at Tomas while he wasn't looking and Kinto caught on quickly.

"coming right up." He quickly poured out to blood red vodka drinks with cherries on toothpicks.

"My brothers in yet?" Coyote added casually, leaning forward to claim the drinks as they were placed on the bar, exposing his charm and his tattoo.

I watched Tomas out of the corner of my eye and saw that he was listening carefully. His eyes were taking in everything, and they kept flicking towards the booth on the left in the shadows. I tapped Coyote on the shoulder.

"Move down to the end of the bar." I whispered to him and he gestured to Kinto to join us. I scanned the near by area and spoke only once I was sure that there were no RangeMan people about. "Are there any FTA's in the family Kinto?" I asked speaking only loud enough so he could hear me. I saw his eyes widen a little but other wise didn't let on anything was out of the ordinary. "Two, one of them is here tonight, back booth on the left."

"Tell him to leave using the back way." I said firmly, knowing there was a trap door in that booth.

"There is no bounty hunter here, hon." He tried to assure me.

"You're wrong." My voice was cold as I spoke a chuckled. "The way open through the hall?" I asked as Kinto called over a waitress and scribbled down a quick note and gave her a beer to deliver with it.

"It's always open for the family." Kinto nodded suddenly looking nervous, and headed back to the middle of the bar.

We sipped out drinks while watching the left booth in the shadows as the drink and note were delivered, it was so artfully done that unless you knew there was a note being delivered you wouldn't have seen it.

"I'd give her a raise." Coyote said impressed, looking like he wanted to applaud. I didn't blame him I knew I wanted to. A few moments later two young women dressed for the slut of the year award came out of the booth and were heading for the toilets.

"Now we wait." I chuckled under my breath.

"For what?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"For panic and frustration." I replied, thoroughly enjoying myself. I couldn't help it, while I owed Tomas and Ric a lot, when it came to protecting my Family that had taught me everything about real life, I would break every promise I had ever made to keep them safe. It was one of the reasons that I didn't join RangeMan when I was asked to, because I knew I would get caught in the middle again.

The women returned and disappeared into the shadows only reappear a few seconds later looking confused and asked a few of the closer dancers where their companion had gone, judging from their gestures. I turned to put my half empty glass on the bar and saw Tomas's eyes narrow in such a way that I knew he was cursing internally and he wondered down the bar away from Kinto, I could see that he was shaking, probably with frustration, and three guys appeared out of the crowd and converged on the dark booth.

"I see what you mean, just beautiful" He chuckled.

"Let's go." I turned towards the shadows and we both headed for the door that was hidden there and walked through a dully lit hallway but didn't stop at the door on the right but the blank wall directly in front of us and knocked out four, two, one, four and waited. It didn't take long for a door to appear and open, all it took was our charms to be shown and we were heading down another corridor that headed to the left, through another doorway that was guarded by two men and into a warehouse.

The middle set up a lot like the control room back at RangeMan, monitoring the club, the outside car parks and as far away as four blocks in every direction, slightly to the right was a line of phones that linked them into an informant net that kept them up to speed on all rumours and going ons in town, including police scanners. On the far right was set up like a café.

On the left was a solid wall, behind that would be comfortable rooms where people could crash for a few nights before moving on to another base. Behind the rooms was a large conference room that could easily hold over a hundred people all seated for meetings, with a small one for private meetings of every kind. All the bases were set out like this, the hard part was finding them, which could be quiet hard if you didn't know where to look, because they were always in places no one expected.

"Haven't seen you two before." A man in his late twenties, built a lot like Tomas said as he approached, his member tattoo in plan sight, he was only two circles. Mid-level.

One circle meant you were new, two meant you have proved yourself, three meant you were in most meetings and could disagree with plans, four meant you were trusted completely and were in on everything and could say no to assignments. Five meant you were on the panel that made all the decisions, of the gangs doings, comings and goings and set the assignments and if it was four with thick lines through it like mine and Coyote's were you were Family to the leaders, trusted with everything, you could go any where, get help when required. Mainly you had to have been with the gang for more then five years to even be considered Family.

Coyote let his jacket slip again like he had at the bar showing his tattoo and we watched in amusement as his eyes widened as he recognised the coding and then looked to me. I didn't push back the hood but slid my arm out of the sleeve showing my own code.

He nodded and headed for the phone and hit an extention and spoke quickly when some one picked up.

"Private conference room." He turned back to us and informed us where to go.

"Thank you." Coyote nodded and I followed him through a door, a long hallway and we paused at a graffitied door. We both had out jackets back on.

"I can't wait to get into this meeting." I sighed. "I'm boiling in here."

"Patience hon." He chuckled and knocked twice, then one, then twice.

"Enter." A voice called out.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Coyote opened the door and gestured for me to enter first. In the room was five men dressed in black slacks and different shades of red shirts with the sleeves cut of baring their tattoos. Three women stood behind the desk dressed in short red skirts and shorts, with low cut black tops, though the eldest woman, who looked to be in her early forties just wore a black singlet and she looked good.

I looked over them, most of them were still the same but two of the guys were new to this level, I recognised them from my younger days, though I doubted they would recognise me.

"Ah good Coyote, we were hoping word would reach you." The oldest man grinned. He looked to be in his late forties but I knew that it was closer to his early sixties, his skin was mocha, his black hair had only a few grey streaks in it and his dark brown eyes glinted in the light with joy at seeing Coyote. "Who is your friend?" He asked with a frown.

"The other person you were looking for." I replied with a chuckle as I reached up and pushed the deep hood back and slipped the jacket off and slung it over the back of a chair with my duffle bag.

"Jesus, Angel, we had no idea that you would get here this fast." The eldest woman exclaimed.

"I was already in town." I shrugged. "I was on vacation, visiting a few old friends when I got the word." I accepted the beer that was handed to me. "Thank you Marie." I thanked the older woman. "I would have been here earlier, like two hours ago but I had a small problem getting away."

"How much of a problem?" The elder man asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well Carlos, I was staying at RangeMan, what does that tell you?" I told him with and small smile.

"Why there?" Marie asked with a small frown.

"Well one they are old friends and two…" I paused. "You heard about the run in I had with Contella five or six years back?" I asked

"Yeah, you had us all worried with that. Thanks for letting us know you were okay." A chocolate skinned man spoke up with a nod.

"It was no problem to do so, Roger." I smiled. "But the reason I was at RangeMan instead of my hotel is that Contella is out, he broke out of prison four days ago and we have reason to believe he is here in town."

"This could make things more complicated for you." Carlos sighed.

"Yeah not to mention Ranger's temper when he finds me gone." I sighed myself, I really didn't want to see that. I looked towards Roger and I could smell the club on him. "Were you in the club?"

"Yeah I had to split rather suddenly." He looked a little flushed.

"Should have known it was you." I sighed. "I am forever saving your butt."

"You gave the warning?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, what did you do this time?" I asked sitting down on the edge of a seat.

"Got caught with five weapons on me." He sighed. "So who was there?"

"RangeMan, five guys watching for you to leave." I shrugged. "They won't be impressed when they realise it was me that warned you."

"Is that the reason for the jacket?" A guy in blood red shirt and golden skin asked.

"Yeah, I didn't want to be recognised. Most of the RangeMan crew know me by sight. It won't take me long to change appearance if you would help me, Kevin." I nodded at him. Kevin was a master at changing appearance, it also helped that he was gay, he had perfect taste.

"Sure thing Angel, let me know when you want me to get my kit." He nodded with a grin.

"For now Roger you are going to have to stay out of sight, or go in. RangeMan don't give up easily." I warned him. "It don't matter if you forgot your court date, or skipped on purpose. Either way they probably won't be too easy on you."

"I honestly forgot." He said gloomily.

"I might be able to pull a few strings and get you taken in by some one nice, but no promises." I said kindly. "As long as you play nice." The truth was Roger only got rough on those who got rough on him and other wise wouldn't hurt a soul, unless they deserved it. He nodded in agreement and settled back down into his chair. "So what is the 911?" I asked getting to the point.

"Some one has taken a contract out on the Hell's gang, whether they are after specific people or the entire gang we haven't been able to find out yet." Carlos spoke up. "But already two members have shown up dead, execution style with their tattoos slashed open. At the moment we have advised all members to check in every twenty four hours, and tell us what they are planning for the day so we know where they are."

"No one new in town?" Coyote asked.

"We are looking into that now." Marie spoke up. "So far we have a list of two hundred, starting from as far back as two weeks ago."

"How long ago did the first one get killed?" I asked frowning.

"Three days ago." Kevin spoke up. "First one was Greg, he was a three circle, second one was a newbie, only been in the ranks for six months."

"Anything in common with the two?" Coyote inquired.

"None, only that they were members." Roger shook his head.

"Any one thrown out of the Family? For snitching or betraying?" I asked, knowing what the likely answer was.

"None that are still alive." Carlos said dryly.

"Any with influential family with either connections or money?"

"I'll check that out." One of the girls with a holter top, blood red nails and only looked to be about twenty five spoke up. I knew that she was the same age as me, in her thirties.

"Do that Bella, also see if there is any large amounts of money gone missing from the other gangs accounts too, let's see if we can rule out a gang war." I said a little tiredly. That was the last thing I wanted right now, another gang war that was violent, bloody and ruthless. The last one had been fifteen years ago. "I'll start looking over that list of new people in town, maybe I'll recognise some one." I took the list that Marie handed me, with mug shots.

"Where do you want us to bunk down?" Coyote asked from where he was leaning against the door. "Here?"

"No, we'll be moving on from here tonight now that you've checked in." Carlos shook his head. "We'll be moving into the high rise area for awhile, better security at least."

"So which base there?" He asked pulling his jacket back on and I followed his lead and slung my bag over my shoulder.

"The mansion." Carlos replied tossing us both a set of key rings, only mine had a key on it.

"Hmm home sweet home." I mused with a grin, looking at the alarm button on the key ring. I knew it was to open the main gates that lead to the house.

"Your bike is by the dumpster, near Coyote's." Marie spoke up before I could ask where it was. "It was serviced just yesterday." She grinned.

"Thanks, anybody want to ride with me?" I asked, while there was safety in numbers it was also suicide if some one bombed the cars.

"I will, I gotta use the computers there any way." Bella volunteered.

"I'll go with Coyote, that way I can help Angel here." Kevin stepped forward.

"Right let's go then." Coyote nodded and pushed himself off the door and strode out with Kevin on his heels pulling on a leather jacket as he went.

I didn't pulled the hood back up until we entered the control room, left the warehouse and re-entered the club. We easily threaded our way through the dancers and I quickly scanned the bar for Tomas and found him scowling as some blonde ditz tried to chat him up. Some girls just didn't know how to take a hint, unless they were forcefully rejected and then got upset about it.

I handed Bella the spare helmet that was in the little built in compartment on the side of the bike and dumped my bag in and latched it, then kicked it into life and waited until Bella had a good grip on my waist before speeding off after Coyote.

I was honestly contemplating all the horrible things that Ric and Tomas were going to do to me when they finally tracked me down. I wasn't stupid I knew they would it was only a matter of time. Once they heard that Hell's gang was in trouble they would know where I had gone, though they probably didn't agree with my loyalties or my decision to go. I really had two choices.

They were either going to death glare me and ignore me for a time, or I was going to get yelled at and hit. Preferably not all four.

The other thing that had my attention was how was I going to tell Coyote that he was my brother and if I should tell him…the other was how did Papa know? They had only really been in trouble for the last year and he had been dead for a bit longer then that, more like three years. Or had he known that this was coming? Could it be that his 'take down ' had been in the works for years?

I pulled into the mansion drive way right on Coyote's tail, so I didn't have to use my own 'garage' opener. We parked on a small piece of lawn near the door like we used to, though most of the rides I did back then had been illegal. But the cops never caught me.

We walked up the five steps and Bella leaned closer to me. "Keep the hood up, most of Carlo's family don't know he is involved with gangs, but his kids do, his wife doesn't. We'll be sent straight to the basement where we can talk freely."

"I remember the rules." I chuckled softly. We didn't need to ring the bell to be let in because a thirty year old female version of Carlos opened the door and waved us in silently quickly. WE followed her silently and quickly down a staircase that was hidden under the staircase that led to the second floor.

"Sorry about the rush Bella but Ma came home early, she wasn't supposed to be back for another week." She apologised as she opened another door that opened up into a ten by ten room filled with computers.

"That's going to make things a little harder, Anna." Bella sighed.

"I already called Pa, he said he'd bring the others in through the back." Anna shrugged. "She'll only be back for a few days before flying out to Nevada, she says she wants to visit the casinos."

"Well that should keep her occupied for a few weeks until she runs out of money." Bella snorted.

"Some times I wish she would just stay away and make all our lives easier." Anna sighed. "Some times I swear she forgets that I'm over ten and have children of my own." She shook her head in frustration.

"I see things haven't changed all that much." I commented with a chuckle as I threw my hood back.

"Tori!" Anna exclaimed with a squeal and gave me a hug, that reminded me about my bruised ribs.

"Ow, careful Anna, I have bruised ribs." I winced.

"How did you manage that?" Coyote asked with a concerned look.

"Ranger and I had a sparing match earlier today, we needed to work off some nerves when we heard Contella was out." I shrugged.

"Let me guess he doesn't have a mark on him." Anna grinned.

"Actually I won,." I grinned back as all their jaws dropped. "He had more injuries then me, by three."

"You gave him that black eye?" Anna exclaimed and then burst out laughing. "He was by here earlier today, he wouldn't say who gave it to him just that he deserved it." I bit back a sigh as I remembered that Ranger was related to Carlos. Uncle and Nephew.

"You know considering what Ranger does how does he not know that his uncle is involved with the Hell's Gang?" I asked with a small shake of his head.

"He does know." Anna corrected me. "He wasn't happy when he found out about it, but he comes to Pa when he picks up members as FTA's to find out where they are."

"Oh god." I closed my eyes and sat down. "What ever you do don't tell him that you've seen me, I broke Lock down to help out."

"He'd understand, Tori." Anna said quietly.

"I was in lock down because of Contella, he's out." I shook my head.

"That is a different matter, Tori. He'd do the same for any of his Family." Anna shook her head.

"I'd rather not risk it." I sighed. "It is going to take him some time to calm down." _Not to mention Tomas's temper_. I winced slightly at that thought. I sat down at table set in the middle of the room and began looking through the names and pictures that Marie had handed me. I was about half way through the pile when the rest of the leaders arrived. I glanced up as they came into the room and noticed that Anna was gone, Bella was concentrating on what was on the monitor in front of her and Coyote was on another computer.

Any one I thought might be a suspect I placed in a pile, I sighed as my phone rang in my pocket. I hadn't really thought that it would take some one so long to try and contact me.

I pulled it out and looked at the screen and smiled slightly. It was Stephanie.

"Hey hon." I said a little tiredly.

"Do you know exactly how mad the guys are at you right now?" She said in a quiet whisper.

"I have a fair idea." I winced as I could hear Tomas yelling in the background. "You in the control room?"

"Yeah, they are trying to trace you, they already found the tracers you left in the parking lot," She sighed. "Why'd you go? I mean you all told me how dangerous it was out there right now and then you go and break the rules."

"I had some thing important come up and I had to deal with it." I told her still looking at mug shots.

"Well on the upside, now that you've broken out Ranger is letting me out with a guard, so I can still do skips if I want." I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Really? You want to earn some money?" I asked her with a grin.

"Will it be dangerous?" Her voice went a little wary.

"Not really, RangeMan was supposed to pick up a skip tonight but they missed." I told her.

"Yeah I heard about that, Tank is pissed as hell, he still doesn't know how he got away…" Her voice drifted off. "How did you know?"

"I have my ways. Look they aren't going to give you his file cause they think he is too dangerous for you, but he's a big teddy bear really if you know how to handle him. You're either going to have to steal the file or argue them down to get it. You want Roger Corman's file." I gave her some information.

"You're joking right? I've seen his file, he's a gang member." Her voice shook a little. "I don't have much luck with gangs, you remember that Slayer thing right?"

"Trust me, you'll be fine hon. He only pounds on people who pound on him, he's really sweet with the ladies, and this will earn you a pay load." I assured her.

"How big is the bond?" She asked her interest perking up, she knew that if I said some one was safe then it was true.

"You'd get about fifty thousand."

"Big bond." She squeaked.

"Yeah got caught with five weapons. If you can get the file call me and I'll tell you where you can pick him up, but for the love of god don't tell Ranger."

"How do you know this Roger guy? I mean you never said anything about knowing gangs." She asked sounding curious.

"I might tell you about it one day, but not now." I told her with a small sigh.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN HELL'S ANGEL HAS BEEN SEEN?" Tomas's voice roared.

"I gotta go Steph, call me as soon as you get that file, I don't want Ranger's men getting their hands on Roger, he's an old friend and doesn't need black eyes." I told her quickly wincing at Tomas voice.

"Sure thing, I'll call in the morning." She assured me.

"Who you talking to Babe?"

"Ranger!" Steph squeaked.

"Bye Steph." I chuckled and hung up.

"Steph?" Roger asked as he sat down beside me looking curious. "As is the Bombshell bounty hunter? That's who you are going to get to take me in? Jesus Angel, she nearly destroyed the Slayers last year." He protested.

"Trust me Roger, it's better then RangeMan taking you in. Believe me she is a push over, mind you she has gotten better over the last year, but she won't pound you just for the hell of it." I soothed him with a soft smile. "And be nice to her, she is an old friend."

"How old?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We went to high school and collage together, we've kept in contact over the years." I shrugged as I pushed the unknowns out of the way and went back to the one I thought might be involved. Twenty of them were known….well at least to me….as hitmen and mercenaries for hire, the rest were mob people. "Alright I have this list narrowed down to about twenty." I called out to the others and watched as they all parked themselves at a computer ready to type in the names I called out to check bank accounts and movements. I started calling out names and waited while the first ten were checked out and sighed as my phone rang again and grimaced when I glanced at the screen.

I picked it up but didn't say anything as I walked to the far corner so he wouldn't hear what was going on in the room.

He was breathing heavily, enough to know that he was upset and angry, which wasn't a good combination. I lent against the wall and waited.

"Not impressed Angel." Tomas's voice growled. I looked to my left as a fax machine kicked in and pulled the sheet out to look it over and frowned. "What in the hell are you thinking going back? We gave you everything to get you away from it, away from the hit that was out on you. And this is how you repay me?"

"I never really left Tom." I said quietly still reading over the sheet in my hand. "Yes I left to get away from the hit, but they are Family."

"Jesus Tori…" He swore for a good ten minutes. "Why didn't you say anything?" He said finally.

"You never asked and at the time you didn't want to know." I said after a few silent moments and walked over to where Carlos was glancing through records and handed him the sheet with a blank look on my face. Five more gone in a matter of hours, things were heating up.

"Why did you leave?" he asked quietly, "You didn't say, just that you were sorry."

"I was needed."

"Why?" He snapped.

"Because some one is killing my Family one person at a time." I knew he would know exactly what I meant now that I said that.

"Angel no please…" His voice went quiet.

"The past always comes back no matter what we do, hon." I told him softly with a sigh. "It's time I faced mine. Oh and in the future , just so you know if you have Hell's Gang as FTA give them to Steph and get her to call me, I'll make arrangements."

"You have to be joking Tori, some of them are more dangerous the half her psyco's." Tomas snapped.

"It's either that or you don't get them at all." I told him in a no nonsense voice. "Gotta go, hon, think on it, you remember the sway I have…Take care."

"Tori…" his voice was almost pleading.

"Trust me, hon please, just like I've trusted you all these years."

"I'll talk to Ric." He said with a sigh. "He won't like it…watch your six love."

"Always." I hung up and closed my eyes pushing back my emotions so I could think, when I opened them I could think properly.

"Five in the last nine hours." Carlos sighed, leaning back in his seat.

"Carlos, just bare with me while I think out loud." I asked him as I slowly began to pace. "Over the last four years have we pissed anyone off?" I asked thinking about the note Papa had sent me.

"We had a run in with the Slayers three years ago but that got cleared up, the mob a few months over that when they tried to do arms dealing in our territory." Carlos said slowly as he thought about it.

"Was it settled?"

"Postponed." Marie replied with a shake of her head. "They ran into some problems and never had a chance to settle."

"Make the account transfers as far back as four years, this could have been a pay now do the job later when they're off guard." I said.

"How do you figure that?" Carlos asked turning to face me.

"My Papa had one last message for me, written three days before he died. He was how I knew this was coming. He said that the past always came back and bit you on the ass, you needed my help and to watch my back….all in code of course." I sighed. "I didn't know that he knew, I don't know how he found out the information about what was coming." I looked through all the paper work again, focusing on names and known alias's.

"I have a hit." Bella called out. "Three years ago, a few days after our clash with the mob family, they transferred nearly a million dollars in to this account, four days ago a hundred thousand was added."

"The day we lost two." I nodded. "Who owns the account?"

"William 'Hunter' Renriso." Bella told me.

I flicked through the files. "Got it, he arrived a week ago, with his two brothers, Martin 'Dodge' Renriso and Joseph 'Bullet' Renriso."

"We have three hit men that we know of working on this, this could be fun." Coyote grinned.

"Oh yeah just like the old days" I grinned back. "Alright I want them found, quietly. I want their movements down, Coyote and I'll deal with them tomorrow night."

"You don't want more time?" Marie asked looking concerned.

"We don't have more time." I shook my head, "If we wait we'll have more dead members and word is already out that I'm here."

"You're right you don't have time." Carlos shook his head. "Especially if it is out that Hell's Angel is in town."

"It won't be long before it's know that Coyote is here too, we are going to have to move fast. Tell all members to go to ground, preferably safe houses that haven't been used in awhile and no one knows about." I nodded. "The less we are seen the better."

"On it." Kevin hurried over to a phone and made the call, linking in with all control centres in town giving the order.

I yawned, nearly making my jaw pop.

"You okay?" Coyote asked.

"Yeah, it's just been a really long day." I turned to Kevin. "Feel up to making me different old Friend?" I asked.

"Sure thing." He nodded, walking to a cupboard and pulling out a small duffle bag. "Follow me sweet thing, after this you are going to bed."

"Definitely." I nodded and followed him through a door.

It took Kevin three hours to help me change my hair, it was cut, styled and coloured. It was layered and no more then six inches long, dyed blood red and when I needed it go out would be gelled to stay in place.

I was nodding off constantly in the last hour, and Kevin kept working until I couldn't keep my eyes open any more and had Coyote help me put me to bed before shooing him out and peeling off my clothes leaving me in my under ware and turned out the lights leaving me to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Despite my long day and really late night I was up at ten, dressed in black cotton clothes and ate what ever anyone in front of me. Though Carlos got a smile of undying gratitude when he placed a large mug of coffee in front of me. Okay so I troubles waking with out large quantities of caffeine in my system, no big deal.

I didn't react as some one's phone went off until the fourth ring when I realised that it was mine. I pulled it out of my pocket, with a quick glance at the screen and answered it with a yawn…which I hadn't intended.

"Tori?" Steph's voice chuckled slightly.

"Sorry hon, really late night." I apologised working on getting coffee into me.

"I didn't wake you did I?"

"No, but I'm only on my first cup of coffee." I warned her with a small smile.

"Right I'll make it quick then. Ranger and Tank had a ho down last night, over something about you and then this morning Tank gave me four files of Skips. All four of them are Hell's Gang, he told me to call you to get details, cause there are no…um…decent addresses."

"Yeah they can get like that." I chuckled and pulled a piece of paper close with a pen. "Give me the names." I quickly jotted down the names and looked around for Roger and Carlos. "Whose riding shot gun?"

"Do you really have to ask?" She asked with a sigh.

"He didn't?"

"He did"

"Dammit Tank." I growled.

"Neither of them would take no for an answer, so I have to take Tank, it's the only way they will let me out of here." She said with pure frustration in her voice.

"Fine we'll do it the hard way. You are going to need a truck, heavily tinted windows, I'll try and get all four to you at once it will be easier that way." I handed the list to Roger and he nodded slowly. "We'll meet in one hour four alley's down from Vincent Bonds. You tell Tank to keep his temper or the deal is off, no roughing them up."

"Got it." I watched as Roger headed for the phone to call in the other three skips.

"How long were you given to get them all in?" I asked, knowing that it may take a few days to get a hold of every one at once.

"A week."

"Alright I'll see what I can do…." Roger handed back the note. "Make it the alley in twenty, I have two for you right now."

"See you there." She hung up.

"Alright let's go." We took Roger's car, mainly because it was tinted and bullet proof and headed for Stark St and idled out the front of to my great surprise a ladies lingire store and a decently dressed guy of about twenty five hurried out into the car.

"How's work Steve?" Roger asked him with a smile.

"Not bad, a little slow this morning." His eyes flicked to me. "So who is taking us in so nicely?" He asked looking curious.

"I made a deal with a few friends of mine. You'll be taken in by Steph, also known as Bombshell. She won't make trouble for you as long as you play nice." I glared at them both. "I expect you to behave, or the deal will be off and you go back to being handled by RangeMan."

"Man they always hit first and then pull you in." Steve sighed.

"Bombshell won't she always asks first, it's not very often that she gets polite skips or ones that don't give her any trouble. So stay polite and gentle like I know you both are." I warned them. "Or you will deal with my temper."

"You must be high up to make threats and orders." Steve sighed.

"One of the highest." Roger told him. "We call her Angel."

"I've heard stories about you from my Bro." He said as he grinned at me, which wasn't the usual reaction I got when people were told who I was. "Is it true that you killed a hit man with a nail file?"

"It was all I had on me at the time, he had already disarmed me." I nodded with a small shrug.

"Things must be getting ugly if you've come back to help." He sighed.

"It's bad but it's not really bad yet." Roger said quietly as I parked at the end of the alley I said I would meet Steph. "No telling any one you've seen Angel, Steve, just if your asked you've heard Angel is back in town. No male and or female….hell you know the routine." Roger warned.

"Yeah I know."

I watched as a large black dark tinted Bronco pulled in, and Steph and Tank stepped out eyeing our car with caution.

"Alright, you get out, move slowly, hands away from pockets, leave any weapons here." I told them both and watched as they both unloaded two guns each and Steve added a three inch blade. "I'll send some one over to pick you up for when you are bonded again." The both nodded and slowly got out of the car. I watched as they made their way slowly over to Steph and waited as she slapped the cuffs on them, both of them eyed Tank warily and got into the back of the car.

Steph waved and got back behind the wheel and I started backing the car out while Tank just stared. I drove off with out looking back, I couldn't risk getting distracted right now. No matter how much I wanted to see Tomas and fix things between us, I couldn't right now, and judging from the look he had given me, he knew it.

I went in the back way to the house to make plans with Coyote, mentally cringing as I saw a black BMW parked out the front of the house. I knew who that belonged to. I made straight for the hidden bedrooms with Coyote on my heels. I listened as he gave me the information of where the Renriso brothers were held up.

We were looking over a map of the town, discussing good places for an ambush when he made a change of topic.

"I got a strange letter a week ago." He commented.

"Yeah, how so?" I asked as I pulled a schematic of a close up view of the place we had chosen and looked it over. "We'll have to block this exit." I added pointing to a fire escape.

"Hmm yeah, we can get a few of the guys to disable it." He nodded in agreement. "Yeah this letter said that my sister that I thought had died when she was three was still alive." I paused dragging my finger over the make tracing a get away route. I finally looked up at him and saw that he was studying me closely. "And that I've known her for most of my life too. How long have you known?"

"I found out yesterday, about half an hour before I found out that I was needed." I replied quietly. "I just didn't know how to bring it up."

"Strange how we both ended up in the same job working along side each other." He shook his head.

"Not really. I did some research while I was looking for you, our father was a hit man and an army man, so was his father and his before him. It's in our blood." I disagreed.

"Yeah but to end up in the same job with the same people?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Who knows" I shrugged. "Personally looking back on it I think we were led into it, but those who knew."

"But who knew?" He asked.

"I don't know, but I don't think it was so much a coincidence as we were led to believe." I shrugged. "You think this place will do?"

"It's not perfect, but it's still on our turf, it's defendable and workable." He nodded as we turned back to the job at hand. "What time?"

"Eight, they usually head through there about eight thirty." I said leaning back in my chair. "What's Ranger doing here?"

"Family dinner." He replied dryly.

"It's barely lunch time." I pointed out.

"He's meeting with Carlos first. Carlos wants to get this thing settled and is going to use Ranger as a mediator, we both know if we just take out the hit men more are going to appear in time."

"True, the sooner this is settled the better."

"Lunch delivery." Bella called out as she knocked on the door.

"Come in" I called folding up the maps and she set the tray down on the table.

"Everything go off okay with the drop off?" She asked.

"With out a hitch." I nodded.

"Carlos will be glad to hear that." Bella smiled before heading out the door.

"You know this is the part I hate." I sighed, picking up a coffee and gulping it down.

"Which part?" He asked looking amused.

"Waiting. I was never really any good at it." I smiled.

"You always beat me at it." Coyote grinned.

"True, but you have the patience of a gnat." I replied dryly.

"Hey I have more patience then most." He protested.

We spent the next two hours picking on each other and sharing jokes, just to pass the time. We both knew that we wouldn't sleep and couldn't rest so we chose to pick on each other to help us rest and relax.

Coyote was in the middle of tell me of a time when he had seen the feared badass Ranger drive his truck into a skips house just because the skip had shot at him and scratched the paint on his car, a clipped him in the arm. Apparently Ranger had been in a bad mood all day and that had not helped.

I was holding my sides laughing as Anna stepped in the room.

"Guys? Pa wants to see you in his study." She said quietly. The laughter died in the room and the smiles dropped off our faces. "He said to come hooded, he isn't alone."

I nodded and pulled on my jacket and flipped the hood up with Coyote only a few movements behind me. We were already in our gear for out hunt later tonight and pulled on gloves and followed Anna back up to the ground floor and into her father's study.

We were silent as we stepped in and Anna closed the door behind us.

Carlos sat at his desk, with Ranger to the left, Tank to his right and to my surprise Joe Morelli standing in front of them. Lined up on the left were four other people dressed like us, and I guessed that it was some of the other leaders.

Feeling like being formal we bowed at the waist, right hands clasped over our hearts and muttered a small saying when we were accepting a mission. "Always and forever family."

"We have received some disturbing news my friends. It seems that it is not just Family that are dying." Carlos spoke after nodding to our greeting. "Three under cover police officers and two contractor of RangeMan have been found dead over the last forty eight hours." I saw Ranger's eyes flick from me to Coyote and back again, almost as if he was trying to figure out who was who, and who the second person was. "This is now no longer a strictly Family matter, the police and RangeMan have requested information…" His eyes flicked to Ranger. "And their assistance."

"And what do the police want to do about the matter?" Kevin inquired stepping forward still hooded. "I know they are not going to dirty their hands to help fix this problem."

"No we wont." Morelli shook his head. "But we won't get involved either, give us a fair idea of when and where and we'll keep clear, until you are done."

"There is a chance of leakage if you are told." Marie spoke up her voice deep, sounding almost male. "Less people are told when and where the less chance of our quarry going into hiding."

"It will be done in the next few days, between now and a week." Carlos spoke, gesturing for her to step back. "That is all we feel safe to divulge." He turned his sights to us. "Will it be with in out territory?" We both nodded. "And there you have it Morelli, that is all you will get out of us for now until it has been taken care of." He informed him in a dismissed voice. I saw Morelli's eyes narrow but he nodded and stalked out of the room.

"It is wise to provoke the police?" Bella asked.

"We dare not tell them more, there is too much at stake and too many ears." Marie replied with a sigh.

"Too many mob ears you mean." Kevin snorted.

"What are you willing to contribute, Nephew if we invite you to this party?" Carlos asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Back up and a secured area so no one else interferes." Ranger replied still studying us.

"And you want what in return?" Marie inquired. "Money? Resources? Man power?"

"The use of your intel when required for six months, with out having to go through middle men to get it." He replied his voice and face careful blank, but I could see apprehension in his eyes, wondering if he had asked too much. He knew that most people with our resources didn't share them lightly, even with Blood Family.

Behind us the door opened and two more hooded people stepped in and joined the line, I was relieved to see that Roger was back safely. I heard the faint murmurings as the last two were informed of what was going on.

"Step forward for yes," Carlos barked.

I watched as four with out hesitation stepped forward, I wasn't sure what Ranger wanted with that intel but it would most likely help him in anything that he was trying to do, considering we were spread across the entire country. I stepped forward with Coyote and two others stepped forward.

"Not bad for a vote, nine out of ten. But you only have the resources of Trenton until the annual meet." Carlos informed Ranger with a slight smile. "But that should be enough for now." He turned to us. "You have everything worked out?" We nodded again, it was one of the things working together for years on end, we knew how the other moved and could predict out movements so they were the same. "Very well chose your contact to confer everything to RangeMan." I saw both Ranger and Tank stiffen slightly at that. "You two should know now rather then later, any member you see here can not be revealed. We have gone to a lot of trouble to stay anonyms." I suddenly felt torn, I couldn't choose so I stepped back and left it to Coyote.

I saw the understanding in Carlos's eyes. Anyone who saw any of the leaders would be in danger of being hunted by those who wanted to know. More so when it came to myself and Coyote.

Coyote bowed slightly and gestured to the left, to Ranger.

"Very well, take him and show him what you have planned, but have him back upstairs for dinner." He paused. "Are you wired?" His eyes narrowed at Ranger.

"No." Ranger looked a little surprised.

Carlos nodded and we turned and left the room with Ranger a few steps behind us. We led him down into the basement that he seemed a little surprised to see and into my room to which Coyote cleared off the table and I laid out the map, we had been going over. We stripped off our gloves and jackets and Coyote handed out mugs of coffee which Ranger took looking a little stunned. And I don't think it was just because of my changed appearance.

"Tellini" He said in surprise.

"Coyote." He corrected with a grin. "I believe you already know my partner." He nodded to me and I smiled weakly at Ranger.

"I can't say we have met." Ranger shook his head.

We both burst out laughing. "Sorry, I didn't think my appearance had changed all that much Ranger." I said still chuckling.

"Jesus, Tori?" He blinked and stared at me.

"Not here I'm not. I'm Hell's Angel." I corrected him. "Or just Angel. I realise that you've never seen me in action so you are going to get your wish tonight."

"You are doing it tonight?"

"Yes, give them less time to prepare for us." Coyote nodded. "We have people disabling the fire escape here and here." He pointed to the map of two buildings.. "They appear to be fixing it." He grinned. "They come down this alley every night at eight thirty on the dot."

"How many are there?"

"Three." I replied, handing him three mug shots of the Renriso brothers.

"Expensive hit men to hire." Ranger nodded.

"They work well as a team. Coyote and I will be stationed half way down in the alley, playing hooker, there is always a few going on there so they won't take it amiss." I told him. "If you can have men stationed on the roof and either end of the alley, it will help make sure they won't get away."

"We are hoping that they are the only ones in town at the moment, we think there might be more, waiting to pick up the contract when they fail, but we won't know for sure for a few days." Coyote added looking grim.

"So we may have to do this again in a few days?" Ranger asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We are hoping that by then the Family that took the hit out will be mollified." I shrugged. "If not then we will void it. Any questions?"

"What do you want us to do other then hold the fort?"

"Don't step in unless we both go down, three is a small number for us and it shouldn't take too long, but we are planning for mistakes and complications." Coyote answered him as I concentrated on my coffee. "Just make sure your people stay low, we don't want them to take a stray bullet or anything."

"We'll be careful." I felt his eyes on me and I looked up from the mug. I met his eyes and easily read them. _I understand why you did what you had to. _ I nodded slowly and gave him a slow smile of thanks. "We'll be in position by eight."

"We'll be there." I nodded.


End file.
